Cultural Tourism and Heritage in Philadelphia Region Spotlighted by New Rutgers-Camden Initiative

CAMDEN -- Thanks to theEncyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, the
history, attractions, and attributes of the region are becoming readily
accessible in a comprehensive online resource that allows users to read essays
written by regional historians on a variety of topics, peruse myriad vintage
photographs, and then visit the landmarks as they stand today.

The grant will allow MARCH to enhance the online Encyclopedia of
Greater Philadelphia through the addition of photo galleries of material
artifacts; new text about Philadelphia’s history; place-mapping; and more.

The digital encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project aims to be an
exhaustive online history of the region; the last full-scale history of
Philadelphia was published in 1982.

The site is searchable by topic or theme, like “Brotherly Love,” or by
specific landmarks, like Independence Hall.

“The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia offers a unique opportunity
for residents and visitors alike to customize how they experience the rich
history of our region,” explains Charlene Mires, an associate professor of
history and MARCH director, both at Rutgers–Camden.

“We are grateful to the William Penn Foundation for the support that
will allow us to grow this online resource to the next level.” The project also will lead to a print volume,
which will be published by the University of Pennsylvania Press.

The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas,
works to close the achievement gap for low-income children, ensure a
sustainable environment, foster creativity that enhances civic life, and
advance philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. With assets of nearly $2
billion, the Foundation distributes approximately $80 million in grants annually.
Learn more about the Foundation at williampennfoundation.org.

Formed in 2001 with a challenge grant from the National Endowment for
the Humanities, MARCH’s mission is to support humanities research, programming,
training, and communications throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York,
Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Chester Spell, an associate professor of management at the Rutgers School of Business–Camden, will speak about how group dynamics impact team chemistry and on-court success during a meeting of team executives from the National Basketball Association on Sept. 20 in Chicago. Spell delivered a similar talk in Las Vegas in July to about 80 NBA summer league leaders.

The demands of law firm life can be challenging enough. But Robert Foster ‘13, a contract attorney at Blank Rome in Philadelphia, is asking for more. He is continuing in a Rutgers Law—Camden tradition made most notable by ‘86 alumna Lieutenant General Flora D. Darpino, who is the Army’s first female Judge Advocate General.